Letterbook Copy

Finances, shipments, and retaliation for St. Clair defeat

Discusses expenditures, drafts, requisitions, shipments of cargo on river, clothing forwarded. Hopes for retaliation for the slaughter of November 1791, [St. Clair defeat]. Mentions General Wayne's preparatory measures. Also mentions a sickness among the troops, and says he is enclosing Carey's account of the sickness in Philadelphia.

1793

11

14

Philadelphia

James O'Hara

Samuel Hodgdon

Arthur St. Clair

Anthony Wayne

Isaac Craig

Matthew Carey

Philadelphia

Pittsburgh

Hobson's Choice

Kentucky

cargo

clothing

cavalry

drafts

sickness

fever

yellow fever

epidemic

illness

1793111428001

1

4

on a part of the grain & Hay purchasd by him
We are anxiously waiting to hear of the Operation of the Army, not having had any Account be depended on since the 1st of September - Mrs O'Hara is very well this morning . she says you owe her a number of letters & I begin to apprehend that: I have some reason to make a similar charge against you -
Shirley Neville represents 'our County [undecipherable=in?] Assembly. & there is no doubt of Governor Mifflins reelection

I am Sir

your most Ob Servant

'$. Isaac Craig

Phil.a 14thnovember 1793

James O'Hara Esq;
Sir
Your favor of the 27th September came to hand yesterday The letter I alluded to in memo of the 10th August on examination I find I should have said Lexington instead of Washington lest the mistake is of no consequence, so that the idea conveyed [undecipherable=in it?] relative to the manner of supplying Major Craig with money was understood & executed. The specifick [sum] appropriated for the department was [ok] I could expect to obtain from the Treasury, until other estimates had been presented and
accepted there, under this idea application was made, & the money obtain'd, tis impossible for any bad consequence to arise on so regular a proceeding since the expenditure of the appropriation Those succeeded in obtaining money on Craig's own estimates and requisitions I have already had some conversation on the requisition which the next paragraph of your letter informs me you have made to the Secretary of War [for] money to support your Departmt til the 1st January next. - The sum of 57,140 Dollars is [Ipresume] in addition to the bill's previously [drawn] & unconnected with any expenditures that may be made of Pittsburgh, and so have [Irepresented] it. The Secretary of the Treasury admits of no monies being drawn for you use but [undecipherable] you [undecipherable], in this way Craig has been & will [Itrust] be fully supplied - Some of the Drafts [mention'd] in your letter had been previously to the receipt of it present, and paid, the others will meet due honor, in [undecipherable] it will be best to draw in 10 to 15 days Sight to give time to negotiate with the Treasury, as hitherto application has been made as the bills have appear'd - a method dictated by the Secretary of the Treasury, and perhaps the same made may be still impos'd A bill of 1600 Dollars dated at Hobson's Choice 23rd September in favor of James G Heron has this day been presented & paid - I have had no advice of this draft - The 10,000 dollars you request shall be forwarded as soon as obtain'd & an application for them shall be made immediately - I am very happy to find you have been so fortunate on the River, the valuable Cargo you mention as still expected I hope will arrive
safe The attention paid to packing the Cavalry Clothing as well as their forwarded for the other Corps, was such as gave reason to expect that all would go safe to hand the [opinion] of the Inspectors that they were damag'd between Philadelphia & Pittsburgh ,, will have as much weight as it ought to have when all circumstances are known suffice to say however that I have receipts to show that they arriv'd safe at Pittsburgh, and in consequence of them, the waggoners have all been paid for the transportation. Before your letter, report said that the expedition was at an end for this Season owing to the failure of the aid expected from Kentucky am glad to know the report was untrue & I hope the Slaughter of November 1791 will be retaliated in November 1793, The methods the General has taken to insure a [prompt] assistance from Kentucky are such as must [insure] his object Strange that with such promising appearances an individual should hang back,-a [single] [excertion] now may give them peace and Security forever. I am pain'd & shall be anxious to hear the event of the Sickness that had began among the troops, I hope their movement will in this particular have the most Salutary effect - every moment from this in which I write will anticipate the Success of the Campaign, Oh' that the Sovereign disposer of all events may by immediate success in the Field, or negotiation in the Cabinet came the Savages to be at peace with us then in truth shall we sell every one under his [Vine], & have none to make him afraid :
To present the trouble of detailing to you the use [undecipherable] & end of the Fever that has prov'd so mortal
this City. I enclose Carry's account just publish'd - which in general is accurate, I shall write you again by next post.

I am Sir

your most Obt Serv!

Su Saml Hodgdon -